Safety device for banks, etc.



June 28, 1932- w BAKER 1,865,296

SAFETY DEVICE FOR BANKS, ETC

Filed Oct. 18, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 E wnmm ATTORNEY June 28, 1932. w. T. BAKER SAFETY DEVICE FOR BANKS, ETC

Filed Oct. 18, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w wig W Z aker INVENTOR ATTORNE! June 28, 1932. w T, BAKER 1,865,296

SAFETY DEVICE FOR BANKS, ETC

Filed Oct' 18, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY Patented June 28, 1932 PATENT OFFHQE WILLIAM THOMAS BAKER, or LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY SAFETY DEVICE FOR BANKS, ETC.

Application filed October 18, 1930. Serial No. 489,657.

My present invention has reference to a safety appliance for doorways, and is especially designed as a protective device for preventing robbers entering or finding an exit through the doorway of a bank but, of course, is susceptible for use in other connections, such for instance, as grocery or other mercantile houses. a

The object ofthe invention is the provision of normally concealed barriers and means for operating the same to swing the barriers across a doorway and thereby obstruct and prevent passage through said doorwa further object is the provision of a safety device of this character which shall be of a simple construction, cheaply manufactured, easily installed and which will prove efficient in practical use.

To the attainment of the foregoing the invention consists in the improvement hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the improvement in barrier position.

Figure 2 is a similar view with parts in section and with the protective device or barrier in concealed and in non-obstructing position.

FigureB is a sectional view approximately on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure at is a detail sectional view through one of the stationary guide plates to illustrate the anti-friction roller thereof.

v Figure 5 is a detail elevation to illustrate the arched and bifurcated end of the main barrier and the engagement of the pin carried by the throw rod therewith.

Figure 6is a detail sectional view approximately on the line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of oneof the barriers showing the prong carrying bars ,p'artly projected therefrom.

Before proceeding with the description of my improvement I desire it understood that the obstructing devices or barriers may be arranged at both sides ofthe'door frame should it be found desirable. In the drawings the numeral l'designates a door frame and 2 a door which is hinged to and which closes the 'tion of the slotted ends of the plates 5 there frame. One side of the frame, in the showing of the drawings, is hollow, having an open face which is normally closed by a door or plate 3 whose hinges are of the spring type and which door or plate 3 is normally locked. The side of the frame provided with the vertical compartment closed by the door or plate 3 has spaced vertical openings therein and through these openings the obstructing devices or barriers, which are normally retained in the housing or compartment are swingable to horizontal and obstructing position.

As all of the barriers are of a similar con struction a detail description of one may be taken as equally applicable to the others. For simplicity of construction each of the barriers is preferably formed of a pair of plates 55, each of the same length. The bars are connected together by bolts or rivets 7 and held in spaced relation by washers 8 that are arranged around the bolts or rivets. The plates 5, constituting the main members of the obstructing element or barrier have the ends thereof which are received in the housing 4 curved, as at 9, and the said curved portions for a suitable distance are centrally slotted, as at 10.

Connected by pivoted links 11 to the spaced plates 5, and normally received in the spaces between the said plates there are bars 12, and each of said bars has its outer edge provided with a series of prongs 13. The links 11 are in the nature of toggle levers and normally sustain the main body portionsof the bars 12 in the space between the plates 5, permitting the inner edges of the said bars to rest on the washers or spacer elements 8.

To adjacent the inner ends of'the prong carrying bars 12 there are pivotally connected the slotted ends of toggle links 14 arranged at an opposite angle from the toggle levers 11 and loosely connected by the pivot that connects the toggle links 14; and arranged for slidable movement in the straight pormg i, and in this housing there are arranged vertically disposed guide members 16 that have ournaled on their inner faces rollers 17 which are preferably arranged in spaced pairs which afl'ord therebetween guides ror the vertically movable throw member or bar 18. The throw member 18 is provided on one of its faces with outstanding anti-friction rollers 19 that are received in the slots 10 of the respective obstructing or barrier members. Preferably the member 18 extends directly through the floor of a building provided with the door 2, as disclosed by Figure 1 of the drawings, and the lower end of the said member 18 has a loose pivotal connection with an arm or lever 20 that is pivotally supported, as at 21, adjacent the end thereof that is loosely connected with the member 18. The second end of the lever has loosely pivoted thereto an arm 22 on whose lower end there is secured a weight 23. There is pivotally secured to the arm 22 an arm or lever 24 which is centrally pivoted, as at 25, to a suitable support and on the outer end of the arm or lever 2l there is pivotally secured the bail or handle element 26 of a bucket 27 whose bottom is open. The bottom of the bucket, however, is normally closed by a pivoted door 28, and the door is held in closed position through the medium of a spring influenced bolts 29 that engages the spring keeper 30 secured to the bucket 27. On the under face of the door there is a solenoid or like magnetic element 31 which is connected to a wire 32 which is in turn connected to one pole of a battery, the second pole from which the wire 32 leads being connected to one of the elements of a switch in the nature of a push button 33. The return wire for the solenoid is ground, as disclosed by the diagram in the lower part of Figure 1 of the drawings.

The bucket 27 is designed to be filled with sand or the like, which counter-balances the weight 23 so that the barrier elements and the operating rod or member 18 are normally retained in a position as disclosed by Figure 2 of the drawings.

Should a robber enter the place in which the improvement is erected, a pressure on the switch 33, (which is conveniently located with respect to the employees of the bank or other mercantile house) will cause the solenoid to attract the bolt of the spring influenced latch 29, which is really in the nature of a magnetic core, and by so doing release the door 28 to permit of the sand to drop out of the bucket and thereby cause the weight 23 to swing the arm or lever 20 upwardly and thus move the member 18 in a vertical direction.

The rollers or pins 19 on the member 18 will now travel through the arcuate slots 10 in the ends 9 of the plates 5 to first swing the barrier across the doorway. The pins or rollers will contact with the blocks 15, cansing the same to move longitudinally between the plates and to cause the toggle levers 14 and 11 to move the prong-carrying bars 12 outwardly with respect to the plates 5. The barriers will prevent the robber from passing through the doorway should the door be opened and should the robber place his hands on any of the barriers the prongs will im pinge and inflict injury to his hands. Of course, the barriers are 'to be arranged together as close as possible and, as previously stated, the barriers may be arranged upon each side of the door frame.

,In order to hold the operating member 18 in its upward or throw-position dogs 34 of the said member 18 are engaged by pivotally supported spring influenced dogs 35 in the housing or compartment 4. The pivotally supported spring influenced dogs are connected to the core of the solenoid 36, the wires 37 of which lead to a battery circuit and the circuit being controlled by a switch 38. "When the switch is thrown to complete the circuit the dog 35 will be brought out of engagement with the dog 34: so that the parts may be returned to normal position after the door 28 has been closed and the bottom of the bucket 27 refilled with sand or like weighted material.

so that further detailed description will not be required. Obviously I do not wish to be restricted to the precise details herein shown and described and, therefore, hold myself entitled to make such changes therefrom as fairly fall within the scope of what I claim.

For instance, I do not wish to be restricted to the employment of electric means for releasing the button of the bucket 27 nor for the hoIding rod 18 in its raised position, as any well known type of mechanical meansmay be employed for this purpose, it being desirable, however, that a button or the like be depressed for actuating mechanical means such as levers for releasing the bolt for the bottom of the bucket while simple spring catch means of the ordinary type may be employed for holding the rod 18 raised when 7 the bars are thrown to barrier position.

Having described the invention, I claim: A safety device comprising a plate provided with a curved'end having a curved slot, bars disposed parallel along opposite edges of said plate, toggle links pivotally connected with the bars and bridging the plate whereby the plate and bars may overlap each other at their longitudinal edges and whereby said parts-maintain-parallel l relation at all times, a block slidably received in the slot and pivotally connected with one set of toggle links and a throw bar having an outstanding member received in said curved slot.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

W. T. BAKER. 

